State Senator Tony Avella dropped out of the race for Queens borough president Wednesday afternoon, leaving a two-way race in the Democratic Primary between Melinda Katz and Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr.

Avella said he felt he could serve the people of Queens more effectively in his role as state senator.

“When I first ran for the State Senate, I ran on a platform of reforming Albany," read a statement from Avella. "It has become clear that there is still a lot of work left to be done."

Katz praised Avella's work as a legislator.

"For more than a decade, Tony Avella has worked around the clock to speak up for hardworking families in Queens, and fought to make their lives better," she said in a statement. "His presence in this race brought the focus to real issues facing voters around our borough, including education, affordable housing, and better healthcare for all Queens residents."

Avella's full statement:

“After much thought and consideration, I have decided to withdraw from the Queens Borough President race. This was certainly not an easy decision and I am eternally grateful for the overwhelming amount of support I received from people throughout Queens. Queens is my home borough and I will never stop fighting and advocating for all residents of Queens. Yet, at this time, I believe I can best serve the people of Queens by remaining a State Senator.”

“When I first ran for the State Senate, I ran on a platform of reforming Albany. It has become clear that there is still a lot of work left to be done. From protecting against the threat of hydrofracking to preserving women’s rights, there is a lot of unfinished business in Albany and I hope to take more of a leadership role in helping address these important issues, which reverberate beyond Queens and affect people across the entire state. That is why I believe I can be more effective for the people at this time in my role as a State Senator.”

“Again, I would like to thank my supporters for their encouragement throughout this campaign and look forward to them joining me on this continuing journey towards reforming Albany.”